Display package



July 7, 1970 R. swANBERG 3,519,128

DI SPLAY PACKAGE Filed Aug. 8, 1968 Maja/5W Arme/var United States Patent 3,519,128 DISPLAY PACKAGE Robert Swanberg, Westwood, NJ., assgnor to Umon Camp Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Virginia Filed Aug. 8, 1968, Ser. No. 751,253 Int. Cl. A44b 7/00; B65b 25/00 U.S. Cl. 206-80 5 Claims ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE The present invention relates to display packages and more particularly to a novel display package for display ing the interior of the article packaged therein.

The packaging of three-dimensional articles whereby the article although sealed is partially or Wholly visible is known. Such packages, however, do not permit tactile examination of any portion of the article and do not permit inspection of the interior of the article, or of any material which may be contained within the article.

It is, accordingly, an object of the present invention to provide an improved combination article and display package therefor wherein the article while remaining packaged may be opened and its contents viewed.

Another object is to provide such an improved combination article and display package therefor which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent from the following description, claims and drawings appended hereto wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a blank from which the display section is made.

IFIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the manner of packaging the article in the display package.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a combination threedimensional article and display package therefor, as provided by the invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross section taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a cross section taken along the line 5 5 of FIG. 4.

According to the invention, an article having sections movable relative to one another is advantageously packaged so that the article, while remaining packaged, may be opened and its interior inspected. The interior of the article and any contents thereof, while visible are packaged in a highly desirable manner so that the contents cannot -be removed or dam-aged as the interior is pro tected by a protective film which is integral with the package.

The invention is directed to a display package for a three-dimensional article, the article having a first and a second section movable relative to one another, the package comprising a supporting member having an opening to receive the article, a transparent sheet overlying the opening, the sheet secured to the supporting member, the sheet enclosing a iirst section of the article and not enclosing a second section of the article.

The invention is directed to such a package wherein the supporting member is formed by folding a blank and also to such a package wherein the transparent sheet has lateral portions extending beyond the opening.

3,519,128 Patented July 7, 1970 The invention is also directed to such a package wherein the laterally extending portions are secured to the supporting member.

The invention provides a method of packaging an article having a rst section and a second section movable relative to one another which comprises positioning a rst section of the article within an opening in a supporting member, the supporting member having a transparent sheet overlying the opening, folding the supporting member about a iirst section of the article but not about a second section of the article, and securing the folded portions of the supported member.

The invention is further directed to such a method wherein the opening is formed by cutting out a portion of the supporting member and to such a method wherein the opening is generally conformable to the shape of the article and wherein the transparent sheet is heat shrunk about a first section of the article.

'Ihe combination of a three-dimensional article and display package containing the same is shown in FIG. 3. Referring first to FIG. 1, the package is formed from a blank 10 comprising a stilf supporting sheet 11 which may be folded about a central fold line 13 so as to form a composite or double thickness support. The fold line 13 divides sheet 11 into upper half 11a and lower half 11b. The upper half is formed with a cut out portion to provide a large opening indicated by 12. The size and shape of the opening is dictated by the size and shape of the article to be packaged. The opening may extend through one edge of the sheet 11 whereby the opening 12 forms part of the perimeter of the sheet. The opening 12 is provided with a transparent plastic sheet 14 having its peripheral edge portions adhered to sheet 11 so that transparent sheet 14 spans the opening 12. Such sheet is usually preformed or stretched into a pocket to receive the article to be packaged. The blank 10 is designed to be folded along fold line `13 and secured so that the halves of the folded sheet will remain in juxtaposition. The superposed halves may be secured together in any suitable manner, as by stapling or Iby use of a suitable adhesive. A heat sealing adhesive is suitable. The manner in which the blank 10 is folded along fold line 13 is shown in FIG. 2.

The article to be packaged may have any of numerous different shapes or congurations. As shown in FIG. 2, the article 15 to be packaged is in the form of a substantially cylindrical container, or compact, used for cosmetic preparations. The article 15 has lower section 16 which is to be protected by sheet 14 and upper section 17 which is not to be covered by sheet 14. Upper section 17 and lower section 16 are joined by hinge 18. With the article opened by rotating one section about hinge 18, and with sheet 11 folded along fold line `13, as shown in FIG. 2, the article is positioned on upper half 11a within opening 12. Lower half 11b is then superposed on upper half 11a and the superposed halves secured, whereby the sheet 14 surrounds the top and sides of lower section 16 of article 15. Upper section 17 of article 15 is then closed as shown in FIG. 3. Lower section i16 is now encased in plastic while upper section 17 is not.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the article is now packaged in such a way that the upper section 17 may be opened to expose the contents. The contents, however, are protected by transparent sheet 14 so that the contents are not susceptible to removal, or soiling.

Transparent sheet 14 may be formed of a heat shrinkable material, such as, for example, polyvinyl chloride. In this event, the size of sheet 14 may be reduced by the application of heat to the sheet whereby the sheet will conform closely to the shape of the article whether the article has a regular or irregular shape. The transparent plastic sheet 14 covers the lower section 16 but does not interfere with the upper section 17 which is as freely movable as if article 15 were unpackaged.

What is claimed is:

1. A display package for a three-dimensional article, the article having a first and asecond section movable relative to one another 'by a hinge, the package comprising a supporting member having a straight side edge and having an opening extending to said side edge in order to receive the article With the hinge along said side edge, a transparent heat-shrunk sheet overlying the opening, the sheet secured to the supporting member, the sheet enclosing a first section of the article and not enclosing a second section of the article.

2. A package according to claim 1 wherein the supporting member is formed by folding a blank.

3. A package according to claim 1 wherein the supparent sheetis preformed into a pocket to receive the first section of the article.

4. The method of packaging an article having a rst section and a second section movable Irelative to one another by a hinge which comprises positioning a rst section of the article within an opening extending to a straight side edge of a supporting member in order to receive the article with the hingealong said side edge, the supporting member having a heat shrinkable transparent sheet overlying the opening, lfolding the support ing member about a rst section of the article but not about a second section of the article, and securing the folded portions of the supporting member.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein the transparent sheet is preformed into a pocket to receive the rst section of the article. l

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,075,330 Y `1/1963 Swezey. 3,366,227 1/1968 Strazza 20d-45.19

JOSEPH 'R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 

